There is no illiterate and unemployed person in Kochashaher union.

All in the remote 22 villages in Gobindaganj upazila in Gaibandha district work on knitting machines or other tools in addition to producing crops, a scene not seen about 15 years ago. They are hardworking. There is no beggar.

They have not seen any monga (pre-harvest crises of food and work) in the recent past, unlike in many areas of greater Rangpur

district.

A knitting machine is now a household tool. There are at least 1000 big and small knitting factories in the union now. Hosiery production is their main work.

This correspondent visited the villages this week. Knitting machines were operating at almost every house. All including women were busy, either preparing and colouring yarn or operating looms. No school-age children was seen as they were at school.

Those who can not afford a knitting machine work in other's factories and earn around Tk 200

per day.

They mainly produce winter clothes like sweater, muffler, socks, cap, cardigan, blouze, hand gloves and babywear.

About 25,000 people are engaged in hosiery profession and they are now self-sufficient.

It is very heartening that this is having a tremendous demonstration effect. The businesses are spreading in nearby areas.

The factories produce winter clothes worth at least Tk 100 crore a year.

The cost of a manual knitting machine is around Tk 25,000 and

an imported power-operated machine is around Tk one lakh.

The products go up to wholesale markets in Dhaka and Narayanganj.

"The main input of winter clothes is nylon yarn imported from India, Korea and Singapore and we are to collect those from importers at high prices", Abdus Sobhan, a factory owner said.

Another owner said shortage of fund is one of the main problems for development of hosiery industry.

A large number of small factory owners can not continue produc-

tion other than in the winter season for fund shortage. Only solvent owners run their factories round the year and earn good profit, he said.

Meanwhile, hosiery cottage industry is spreading to others union. Over 50 knitting factories have been set up in neighbouring areas.

Anisur Rahman, a factory owner at Ratanpur village, said getting bank loan is very difficult due to "complex formalities". So small owners are compelled to borrow from local moneylenders at high interest which affected production.